З життя
My Brother and His Family Wanted to Stay in London at My Expense – But I Made Sure They Realised Beforehand That Wasn’t Going to Happen!
My brother is six years older than me. Three years ago, he got married and decided to live in his wifes flat instead of staying with our parents. With rent in London being so high, that was really the only sensible option for them. By that time, Id already been married for six years myself, and I had two little ones a six-year-old son and a four-year-old daughter. My wife is a Londoner through and through, so naturally, we settled down here. Both of us have decent jobs, so after a lot of saving and a mortgage, we managed to buy a small flat.
Just the other day, I got a message from my parents letting me know that my brother and his family were coming to visit for a week, and that they expected me to put them up in my flat. Of course I was glad at the thought of seeing my brother after such a long time, but realistically, I couldnt have them stay there are four of us already squeezed into a one-bedroom flat.
We met at Kings Cross Station and spent the day wandering around the city. Afterwards, my parents brought it up again, hinting that I should host my brother, his wife and their son at mine, especially given the ridiculous cost of accommodation in London. The thing is, it just wasnt feasible. Over dinner, I offered to help find them a nice hotel, but my brother wasnt having it at all, insisting that they stay with us.
I did my best to come up with other solutions, even suggesting decent hostels or perhaps getting friends to help find a rental, but every single idea was shot down straight away. It became clear they wanted to stay in London without having to spend a penny free bed, free meals and all that.
Truthfully, I know I have every right to say no. The comfort and well-being of my family has to come first. My wife and children deserve their home and space. At the end of the day, I dont owe anyone a place to stay not even my own family.
